Field Notes for July 2026

Welcome back to Field Notes!

July 1, 2026

Red-flowering Currants. The Ribes sanguineum is producing fruit! This hardy, deciduous shrub is native to western North America, attracts pollinators, and is a highly valued landscape plant for native ecosystems (we have several of them in the side and front yards). The shrub produces vibrant clusters of spring blossoms in red or deep pink, spicy-scented foliage, and dark purple-to-black berries in summer. Birds and wildlife love the berries, but they are a little bland to human taste, compared to true fruiting currants. However, I'm wondering if they would produce natural dye for a future project!

Red-flowering currant (Ribes sanguineum)

July 4, 2026 🎆

America's 250th Anniversary. Today we're celebrating America's semi-quincentennial anniversary. The anniversary commemorates the adoption of the Declaration of Independence in 1776, when the thirteen American colonies declared their freedom from British rule. This milestone reflects the founding ideals of liberty, equality, and self-governance, and honors the efforts of the Founding Fathers and early Americans who fought for independence and established the United States as a republic. We'll be attending a BBQ at the Pardee Home Museum in Oakland. The Pardee House is the historic home of California's Governor George Pardee (1903-1906). Ragtime and period music is to be provided by Frederick Hodges.

America celebrates its 250th anniversary!

Today is also the perfect day to get out my copy of National Review's American Classics, and read The Declaration of Independence, The Constitution of the United States, and The Bill of Rights and Amendments to the Constitution of the United States of America. I try to do this annually to refresh my understanding of these documents, and reflect on their goals and ideals. They are a guiding light in a tumultuous time.

July 6, 2026

Party at the Pardee. My husband and I had a great time at the Fourth of July bash at Pardee House in Oakland. We joined friends John, Dale, and Ziva the Guide Dog at the barbeque and musical event. This was our first visit to the historic home and gardens.

Pardee Home Museum in Oakland

Gate to the backyard and water tower (EBMUD 1.0)

The bracketed Italianate villa was built in 1868 by Enoch Pardee, a gold rush immigrant to California who practiced medicine in San Francisco and Oakland and served as mayor of Oakland. He and his wife Mary had one son, George Pardee. George was also a physician, served as mayor of Oakland, Governor of California during the 1906 earthquake, and later lobbied for a water district in the East Bay. He was a long time President of East Bay Municipal Utility District (EBMUD), and resident of Oakland. The Pardee Dam was named to honor him, and is still a dominant water source for the region.

Picnic in the shade of two grand old oak trees

Ragtime and 1920s music provided by Frederick Hodges

Tours of the Victorian home and tea parties can be arranged, but they weren't available for the July 4th bash. We sat under the spreading branches of a couple of old oak trees, and feasted on delicious hamburgers, hot dogs, cold salads, corn-on-the-cob, chips and guacamole, baked beans, and delicious desserts. We enjoyed ragtime music from the turn-of-the century, played expertly by Frederick Hodges. My dad loved Scott Joplin music, and I recognized quite a few of the tunes (ragtime music also has an association with Goldrush Alaska, so I am also fond of it). The intimate gathering of about 60 people was a wonderful way to observe America's 250th anniversary!

July 9, 2026

OTHG Hike to Sibley Volcanic Regional Preserve. This week's Over-the-Hills Gang hike was at Sibley Volcanic Regional Preserve, the site of an ancient volcano that was active 10 million years ago. Mari and I joined the group, led by Anthony Fisher, while Gaymond is on safari in Tanzania! The weather was overcast, foggy, chilly, and even windy at times!

Enjoying "the view" in the heavy morning mist 

Hiking through the misty forest at Sibley Volcanic Regional Park

Our route took us up Round Top Loop Trail, to the Volcanic Trail, and then to the Quarry Pit. The trails are nice and wide, so it's easy to amble along side-by-side and converse. I missed seeing some of the usual views along the trail, but I enjoyed the moist air and moody fog swirling in the oak and eucalyptus trees. We shared the trail with quite a few dog walkers and their dogs, and both seemed to be enjoying the cool, moist air. Our group had our mid-hike cookie break in the Quarry Pit. After a trip around the labyrinth, we feasted on an assortment of cookies for quick energy (lemon, peanut butter, and graham crackers). Life is good! 

"Annika Zinsley loved this place."

Mari and I topped off the hike at TGI Oni Sushi in Montclair Village for bento boxes, and great conversation. While there, Gaymond was able to get an early-morning internet connection from Tanzania, and we were able to see a few photos of his posh safari accommodations and the wildebeest migration! These hikes are so much fun, and the pace and company are excellent. Check the website to learn more about upcoming events at East Bay Regional Parks.

Intrepid hikers on a misty, windy morning at Sibley

July 12, 2026

Fauna and Rocks at Sibley Volcanic Regional Preserve. While at Sibley Volcanic Regional Preserve, we spotted an assortment of interesting plants, flowers, birds, insects, and geological formations. Here are a couple of snapshots.

This Black Swallowtail caterpillar looks like it is wearing a pair of yellow sunglasses on each segment! It is holding on tightly to a tall plant in the swaying breeze, possibly fennel. They love to dine on plants in the carrot family (Apiaceae) such as parsley, dill, fennel, and carrot tops.

Black swallowtail caterpillar (Papilio polyxenes)

 

Orinda Formation river gravels, sands, and mudstones

The Sibley Volcanic Regional Park Welcome Center has a series of informative signs and exhibits that describe the ancient volcano and its natural history, and provide samples of the various rocks and formations in the park. A series of signs deeper into the park provide additional information. The description at the site in above photo describes "redbeds", or streaks and layers in river beds that were caused by oxidation of iron in the sediments. Redbeds sometimes contain fossils of plants and animals.

July 15, 2026

Heading for Alaska. A group of us is heading to Juneau, Alaska to celebrate my Dad's life! He died in December, and July seems like the perfect time to stop and take notice. He was born July 28, 1928, and would have turned 98 this month.

Heading for Juneau, Alaska for a celebration of Dad's life

Dye Project: Preparing Protein Fabric (Scour & Mordant)

I like to have a batch of prepared fabric on hand, so that when I come across an interesting dye source I'm ready to dye. The process involves scouring the fabric to remove impurities, mordanting the fabric so the dye bonds with it, and optionally brightening or saddening the fabric to intensify or modify color and improve its fastness. Last year I documented how to prepare a batch of plant-based fiber, such as cotton and linen, to have on hand (see Dye Project: Preparing your Fabric (Scour, Mordant, Brighten or Sadden).

This year I'm documenting how to prepare a batch of protein-based fiber, such as silk and wool, for a series of projects. The process for preparing protein fabrics is similar to the process used for plant-based fibers. The exception is that wool and silk do not respond well to extreme changes in temperature. For best results, keep it slow and steady when bringing the bath to temperature and cooling it.

Silk scarves - scoured and mordanted

I summarized the process of scouring and mordanting silk briefly back in 2022 in Dye Project: Eco-dyeing Spring Flowers and Plants, by saying that "the fabric was scoured with Orvus paste and soda ash, and mordanted with gallnut" and promising a separate video. I hope to finally fulfill my intentions to record the process in this post.

For this project, I'll be preparing an assortment of protein-based fabrics, including six silk scarves (100%), a couple of silk and wool blend scarves (63% and 37% respectively), and a silk velvet and rayon blend scarf (18% and 82% respectively). I obtained all of the scarves from Dharma Trading. I also have a leftover silk scarf that was prepared in 2022. It does not need to be re-scoured or mordanted, but it will be interesting to see if four years has an impact on the color or light fastness of the material.

Scarf: silk (screenshot from Dharma Trading website)

Scarf: silk/wool blend (screenshot from Dharma Trading website)

Scarf: silk-velvet with rayon background - Leaf2 pattern
(screenshot from Dharma Trading website)

Scouring (Orvus Paste)

Purpose: Scour silk fabric to remove impurities that may compromise dye results. According to the website, silk scarves from Dharma do not need to be scoured, but I'm doing it anyway to be sure. These instructions are based on the process recommended by Maiwa Textiles, which is to use Orvus paste to remove any remains of lanolin or other impurities from the silk fabric (this time I'm not using soda ash with the Orvus paste). Orvus paste has a pH of 7.8 (slightly base). I plan to scour the silk and silk-wool and silk-velvet rayon blends together, as demonstrated by Maiwa.

The basic process for this step:

1. Before you start, weigh the dry fabric and record this value as the Weight of Fabric (WOF).
2. Prewash the fabric in the washing machine, using a textile detergent.
3. Scour the fabric in heated water, using Orvus paste (sometimes called "horse shampoo" or "quilt soap"). 
4. Let the fabric cool down, and then rinse.

Orvus paste, a.k.a., "horse shampoo" or "quilt soap"
(screenshot from Amazon website)

For scouring a pound of fabric, use:

• 1 teaspoon Orvus Paste 

For example, I plan to process 7 ounces of silk and silk blend (almost half a pound, or about 200 grams), so I will use 1/2 teaspoon of Orvus paste.

Scouring protein-based fabric with Orvus paste

Scour the silk fabric:

1. Pre-wash the fabric in the washing machine using 1 teaspoon of textile detergent, such as Synthrapol or Professional Textile Detergent. Hang to dry and process later, or use the damp fabric in the next steps.
2. In a large stainless steel pot, add Orvus paste to about three gallons of water and stir to mix. The pH registers at 5 (moderately acid).
3. Add the damp fabric to the pot and distribute it so that the fabric is not crowded. Add more water if needed to cover the fabric.
4. Heat the water to 140 ℉ (60 ℃), stirring periodically to rotate the fabric. Unlike my experience with scouring plant-based fabrics, the silk and silk blend fabrics did not turn brown with impurities.
5. Maintain the temperature for an hour, periodically stirring the fabric gently to rotate it. After an hour, turn off the heat, and let the water cool down.
6. Remove the fabric from the scouring bath. Rinse it in cool water, and squeeze out excess water. Wash the fabric in the washing machine (cool water, no detergent). Optionally add an extra rinse cycle.
7. At this point you can immerse the wet fabric into your mordant, brightener, or dye bath; or you can air-dry the fabric and store it until needed. Label it so you know that it was scoured.

Rinsing the scoured protein-based fabric

Mordanting (Alum Sulfate)

Purpose: Mordant the scoured protein fabric to prepare it to receive and hold dye. Multiple mordants are available, but here I am using alum sulfate. Optionally I could add cream of tartar for the wool, but cream of tartar is not typically used for silk. Since I'm processing them together, I have chosen not to include cream of tartar. Again, these instructions are based on the process recommended by Maiwa Textiles.

Mordanting the protein-based fabric with alum

Mordant the silk fabric:

1. Prepare a large stainless steel mordant pot by filling it with enough warm water (110º F, or 45º C) to cover the fabric when added, usually a 30:1 ratio of water to fabric.
2. To a small non-reactive container, measure alum at 15% WOF (I'm using 2-3 tablespoons, or about 30-40 grams) Optionally, I could add cream of tartar for the wool at 6% WOF (about 3 to 3.5 teaspoons, or about 12-13 grams). Cream of tartar is not necessary for the silk, so I'll omit it this time; but it wouldn't hurt the silk in a mixed batch, so I may try adding it in a future project.
3. Add very hot water to the container, and stir to dissolve the alum (and the optional cream of tartar).
4. Pour the dissolved alum solution into the large stainless steel pot of water, and stir well. The pH registers at 3 (still moderately acid, but moving toward strongly acid).
5. Add the scoured, wet fiber. Over 30-45 minutes bring the temperature up to 160-180 ºF (70-80 º C).
6. Simmer the silk fabric at 160-180 ºF (70-80 ºC) for one hour. Stir the fabric regularly with a stainless steel spoon so the alum is evenly distributed.
7. Let the mordant bath cool for 20 minutes.
8. Remove the fabric from the mordant bath. Rinse well in cool water, or wash the fabric in the washing machine (cool water, no detergent), with an optional extra rinse cycle. You can store the fabric in a damp white cloth for 24-48 hours (keeping it damp during this entire period), and dye it in the next day or two. Or you can air-dry the fabric and store it until needed.
9. Once completely dry, the mordanted fabric may be stored indefinitely. 

Drip drying protein-based fabric

Ready to Dye

At this point, your silk fabric is scoured, mordanted, and ready to dye. Having a stash of prepared fabric is like having a full pantry that is available when you're ready to cook up a storm. I'm planning to use this batch for several dye projects that use mushrooms,

Prepared protein-based fabric labeled and ready to dye!

Mordanting Additives

When you are ready to dye, you can add additional mordants to the dye bath to further manipulate the dye. For example, you can add more alum to brighten the dye bath or ferrous sulfate to sadden, or darken it. You can add vinegar to make the dye path more acidic, or soda ash or ammonia to make it more alkaline. You can add titanium oxalate to push the dye to a more golden or orange color. Experimenting is part of the fun of dyeing! 

Learn More

• Maiwa School of Textiles "Mordants & Tannins", https://maiwa.teachable.com/p/mordants-tannins (free but you must sign up).

• Maiwa Textiles, "How to Mordant Silk or other Protein Fibres", https://naturaldyes.ca/how-to-mordant-protein (also a free, downloadable PDF file is available).

Birdwatching at Lake Merritt

Spent a wonderful morning at Lake Merritt and Lakeside Park in Oakland, California on a birdwatching expedition. The event was sponsored by the Golden Gate Bird Alliance. Mari, Gaymond, and I car pooled and met up with the group at the Lake Merritt Sailboat House on Adams Point.

Summer is a slower time for birdwatching, since many migrating birds have reached their destinations, but we were assured we'd still see birds and possibly their offspring. Expert birders Hilary P., Peggy R., and Katherine C. led the hike. Quite a few of us showed up with our cameras, binoculars, and scopes; and with all levels of experience, from novice to expert.

Assembling for the birdwatching event

Our route in blue, on Adam Point

Lake Merritt is a 155-acre salt water tidal lake/lagoon that is situated in the heart of Oakland. It operates as a tidal wildlife refuge, connecting to the San Francisco Bay via an artificial channel. A 3.4-mile perimeter trail surrounds the lake, and adjacent to the water is Lakeside Park. We have been to Lakeside Park to visit the Japanese garden, Bonsai garden, Botanical garden, Native garden, and more. Together, the lake and park provide recreational opportunities for a densely populated urban area.

A series of small islands near the lake edge provides favored gathering places for many birds, especially pelicans, egrets, and herons. Other birds seem to like hanging out on floats on the lake, and still others are content to linger along the lakeside path.

Birds congregate on the islands and the mainland (photo by Mari)

The floats double as a resting place for the birds

Listening for songbirds under the majestic oak

We assembled under the canopy of a huge oak tree, to listen for song birds. Sometimes they will even land on an outstretched hand holding bird seed for a quick snack. Other birds preferred to observe the landscape below from the safety of tall trees. Gaymond and Mari got some good shots of the birds.

Swallows in the trees

Proud Canadian Goose parents and their gosling (photo by Mari)

Pelicans and a Canadian goose on the island (photo by Gaymond)

Our group leaders kept track of bird sightings using the eBird app. We observed 33 species during our time together That's not bad for being off season. 

Our species list on eBird

Intrepid birdwatchers at Lake Merritt (photo by Gaymond)

Gaymond, Mari, and I ended our birdwatching with lunch at the Nua Thai Kitchen in Piedmont (noodle dishes all around in a beautiful environment), and great conversation. If you're interested in birdwatching (or just getting out with some good company), check out the monthly events offered by the Golden Gate Bird Alliance. We may see you there!